With the significant upgrade of a Raspberry Pi1 (RPi) running IcomGateway,2 and the connection of KR4CHS to a transcoding3 reflector, KR4CHS is transformed into a Multimode Digital Voice system.
The following Digital modes are currently supported.
Operators of these devices can have QSOs, not limited by mode type.
KR4CHS is linked to Reflector8 XRF517 Module A as the repeater's standard reflector and module.
| Mode | Access | |
|---|---|---|
| D-STAR | KR4CHS, Awendaw, SC 145.210 -0.600 MHz | |
| D-STAR | XRF517A | |
| DMR | Quadnet 517 | |
| DMR | XLX_517 Module A (4001) | |
| DMR | TGIF 517 | |
| YSF | YSF51700 - US-URF517 - RadioSC | |
| YSF | YCS310 DG-ID 81 | |
| YSF | FCS31081 | |
| M17 | URF517A |
*For more detailed help see the next section.
Module A of the reflector is the module which will allow QSOs between D-STAR, DMR, YSF, and M17 operators.
Set your D-STAR radio as follows (uses KF5CJG as an example)
UR: CQCQCQ Use Repeater (this doesn't say Reflector but it's
Ok)
R1: KR4CHS C Charleston
R2: KR4CHS G Charleston G
My: KF5CJG /5100
R2 should always be set to "G," Gateway,9 to avoid QSO confusion and doubling with Hotspot operators and non-KR4CHS repeater operators. Though you will hear those other operators, they will only hear you if you are on the Gateway.
Using KF5CJG's hotspot as an example first link to XRF517A:
UR: XRF517AL
R1: KF5CJG B
R2: KF5CJG G
My: KF5CJG /5100
After setting your radio as above, PTT. Your hotspot should report that you are linked to XRF517A. Linking to DCS517A also works.
Next, change UR from XRF517AL to "Use Reflector." After selecting "Use Reflector," the "CS" screen on your D-STAR radio will display the following:
UR: CQCQCQ Use Repeater
R1: <YourCallSign> B
R2: <YourCallSign> G
My: <YourCallSign> /<YourText>
In your Pi-Star set the DMR Master to: “DMR Gateway” then ensure XLX is enabled. For WPSD hotspots make sure XLX Master Enable is on.
Select XLX_517 from the drop-down box, then select module A. If the above selection does not show in the drop-down menu, run the Update on Pi-Star found in the admin menu.
For your radio, add a channel with Talkgroup11 6 (Group Call) into a zone12 of your choosing. A zone named RadioSC is a good choice.
Once XLX_517 Module A is set in your hotspot, select the Talkgroup 6 channel on your radio and you should be set for your first QSO on the Reflector.
In the latest version of WPSD, the DMR master is user selectable.
Prior to this WPSD set the the DMR master to Brandmeister so that all
other Networks required a TG prefix. Now, since WPSD allows the
selection of the DMR master, the user can choose the DMR Network that
does not require a TG prefix.
If using WPSD an "8" prefix is required for the TG create a Talkgroup so on your DMR radio create an 8000517 TG. A total of seven digits is required so fill between "8" and "517" with three zeros. Create a channel for your new TG and add the channel to a zone.
Go to WPSD Configuration, scroll down the "DMR+/FreeDMR/HBlink/Custom Network Settings" and select "HB_US_Quadnet_1_GA" as this is the geographically closet server.
If you want TG 517 to be static (reccommended) then enter the following in Options:
"TS2=517;TIMER=10;VOICE=0,DIAL=0" (no quotes)
In order to add more static TGs separate them with commas (e.g. TS2=517,320,321).
In order to view activity go to the menu of all Quadnet Rysen servers and click on the dashboard picture of the Atlanta server dashboard which will then display the Atlanta Rysen server.
Enable TGIF DMR for WPSD or Pi-Star. A user account and security key from TGIF is required. Depending upon the configuration in your hotspot software, a TG prefix may be required.
In your YSF PI-star set the YSF startup host to:
“YSF51700 - US-URF517 - RadioSC”
For your radio simply set the VFO to the frequency of the Pi-Star or WPSD hotspot and the mode to DN. Or create a memory channel with the hotspot frequency and DN mode.
There are two Quadnet connections to the XLX517 transcoding module A:
YCS310 DG-ID 81 YC310 Dashboard
FCS31081 FCS Dashboard
Install mvoice on a Ubuntu 24.04 or Debian 12 computer or connect via a hotspot and a Connect Systems M17 radio.
Operators who desire to use M17, which we encourage, should contact the RadioSC team for assistance.
| Module | Name | D-STAR DExtra | DMR TG 6 | YSF | YSF DG-ID | M17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Transcoding | XRF517AL | 64001 | #51700 | 10 | URF517A |
| D | DMR, YSF | - | 64004 | #51700 | 13 | - |
| M | M17 | - | - | - | - | URF517M |
| S | D-STAR | XRF517SL | - | - | - | - |
All operators within RF range of the repeater can make local calls on the repeater and connect to Reflectors for making calls. In other words, all normal D-STAR capability is available to the operator within RF range of the repeater.
To Mode 1 add all hotspot (and dongle, etc.) operators (those local and worldwide). Hotspot operators can connect to the Reflector that the Repeater is linked to and have QSO's with all Reflector-connected operators and local operators (Note: The best operating practice for Mode 1 operators is to always have R2 set to Gateway. Otherwise if a QSO is in progress on the Reflector the local operator on KR4CHS will hear the reflector via the repeater but Gateway operaters will not hear the local operator which among other things could cause doubling and could cause Reflector users to "step on" a local QSO.)
KR4CHS is capable of linking to virtually all reflector types except M17 reflectors (mrefd) as M17 only reflectors (mref) are designed for M17 only. However universal reflectors, like URF517, includes M17 capability.
The first four reflectors shown below are DPlus reflectors. These reflectors are for D-STAR only QSOs. These are shown for completeness but are not preferred as the new capabilities of KR4CHS, namely its multimode capability are not possible with these types of reflectors.
Note: Linking and Unlinking the D-STAR Awendaw Repeater can only be accomplished with a D-STAR radio.
If an operator wants to link to a Reflector other than XRF517A, first listen to determine if the Repeater is currently in use. If not in use, announce your intention to link to your desired Reflector. Then unlink the Repeater. After unlinking, link to your desired reflector. Complete your QSO, then unlink and link back to XRF517A, returning the repeater to its normal state.
Every Monday starting at 4:30pm EDT on Brandmeister Talkgroup 3145 for the pre-NET checkin. The D-STAR net starts at 5pm on REF054B.
Tuesday 9:00pm on REF054C.
Saturday at 7:30pm on REF054C.
Monday at 11:00pm on REF038C.
Tuesday @ 11:00pm on REF012A.
More Papa System info
Saturday @ 6:00pm EST on Reflector XRF757A.
Quadnet Talkgroup 320.
TGIF Talkgroup 320.
YSF31001.
Wednesday @ 10:00pm EST Reflector XRF757A.
Quadnet Talkgroup 320.
YSF31001.
Geared toward young operators but all are welcome.
Sunday @ 7:00pm EST Reflector XRF757A.
Quadnet Talkgroup 320.
YSF31001.
A Raspberry Pi (RPi) is a single board computer that when paired with a MMDVM (Multimode Digital Voice Modem) and loaded with free open source software contained on a Micro SD card and connected to the Internet becomes your very own little repeater that gives the operator access to multiple digital modes (D-STAR, DMR, Yaesu System Fusion, M17, and others) and their associated Reflectors, Talkgroups, and Rooms13.
There are at least two operating system options that will run a hotspot, Pi-Star and WPSD. As mentioned one of these OS images must be loaded onto a Micro SD card that will be inserted into the Raspberry Pi. The RadioSC group recommends the Bookworm version of WPSD.
Several different Raspberry Pi Board models will run a Hotspot. The least expensive recommended Pi board is the Pi Zero 2 W so that's the one shown below.
Download Pi-Star and follow their instructions for installing and configuring the software.
WPSD download and instructions.. We recommend the Bookworm version (Debian 12).
Download Balena Etcher14 to write the s/w to the SD card.
On the Pi-Star website choose Pi-Star tools menu then the wifi builder to enter your SSID and password.
Follow the instructions on the site to continue the install.
After the intitial install and reboot, run the Update from the Admin menu.
Have fun!
W0CHP Digital Ham Radio Lists Chip, W0CHP, updates his searchable lists hourly. Very useful.
DMR Unification Project A good read for understanding DMR and DMR network options, particularly the video shown on the main page of the website.
D-STAR Lastheard - useful for checking if you or others are actually on the D-STAR system
A Raspberry Pi (RPi) is a small computer that can be configured for multiple uses including as a desktop computer. For KR4CHS, the RPi is used to run the IcomGateway software by Thomas Early, N7TAE.↩︎
The IcomGateway provides access to multiple reflector types.↩︎
Transcoding involves converting digital transmissions from one mode to others (e.g. D-STAR to DMR and YSF). So transcoding allows QSOs for operators using different modes.↩︎
D-STAR - Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio. Per the Icom, D-STAR is an open protocol for digital communications established by the Japen Amateure Radio League (JARL). For more on D-STAR see Diving into D-STAR.↩︎
DMR - Digital Mobile Radio. Per the Motorola Solutions website, DMR is an international standard for two-way radios. The standard was created and is maintained by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). DMR is characterized by the use of Time Slots which allows for two QSOs to occur on a frequency. For more on DMR see Discovering DMR and the DMR Association.↩︎
YSF or Yaesu System Fusion. YSF is Yaesu's digital communications product for voice and data. For more information read Yaesu's Invitation to the Future.↩︎
M17 is an Open Source digital voice mode. For more information see the M17 Project.↩︎
Reflectors are a type of network server, and you can think of their modules as chat rooms.↩︎
Gateway in this context refers to the D-STAR Gateway which connects operators through the Internet.↩︎
An Amateur Radio Hotspot functions as a "private repeater" for the operator that provides functionality where↩︎
Talk Groups are a way for groups of users to share a time slot (one-to-many) without distracting and disrupting other users of the time slot. It should be noted that only one Talk Group can be using a time slot at a time. If your radio is not programmed to listen to a Talk Group, you will not hear that group’s traffic. There are over 16-million TGs available in DMR, most use only a very few (Amateur Radio Guide to Digital Mobile Radio, 2nd Edition).↩︎
A DMR Zone is a group of one or more channels. A channel must be in a zone in order for it to be used.↩︎
A YSF Room is similar to a D-STAR Reflector and module and allows QSOs between YSF operators in the same room.↩︎
Balena Etcher is a software utility that flashes (copies) Operating System images to SD cards and USB drive.↩︎